Sasikala, best known J Jayalalithaa's aide has decided to quit politics in a move that has sent shockwaves in political circles. Considered for long an AIADMK honcho, Sasikala has quit politics ahead of crucial elections in Tamil Nadu. Known by her married name Sasikala Natarajan, she was recently released from jail in Bengaluru where she was put up after an arrest in a case involving disproportionate assets.
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"I have never been after power or position even when Jaya (J Jayalalithaa) was alive. Won't do that after she is dead," VK Sasikala wrote in her letter announcing her resignation from politics and public life
She was a close aide of J. Jayalalithaa, the late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, who headed the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) from 1989 until her death in 2016.
After Jayalalithaa's death, the party's general council elected Sasikala as the secretary general of AIADMK.
On 5 February 2017, Sasikala was unanimously elected as the AIADMK Legislature Party Leader by a meeting of all the MLAs in the party
But since Sasikala was accused in a disproportionate assets case, she couldn't become Chief Minister. Instead O. Panneerselvam was asked to be officiating Chief Minister in the first week of February 2017.
Sasikala was guilty of conspiring, laundering and amassing illicit wealth worth nearly 300 crore rupees (as per the money exchange rates of 2019)
On February 14, 2017, VK Sasikala was convicted and sentenced to 4 years sentence in Bangalore Parapana Jail and gave her 24 hours to surrender
Sasikala was always the person who people reached out to, for getting through to Jayalalithaa.
The clout of Sasikala over Jayalalithaa was considered so strong, that Jayalalithaa once expelled Sasikala, her husband among others in 2011 to prove that she wasn't operating under their influence.
On August 21, 2017, Sasikala was expelled from the AIADMK and removed from her post of General Secretary.
VK Sasikala Quits Politics. The expelled AIADMK leader was widely expected to fight for her position in the run-up to Assembly elections.
Pic Credit: NDTV
In a printed statement, Sasikala said, "I urge supporters of AIADMK to all work together and defeat the DMK (the primary opposition). I urge the party cadre to work to keep her legacy going," she added.
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Pic Credit: NDTV